Seniors' home off the market as owners make good on unpaid taxes

After a few weeks of uncertainty at Trout Creek Senior Living, the residents and staff of the independent living facility for seniors have a reprieve.

See related: Local seniors' home up for sale due to unpaid taxes

Tax sale documents obtained by BayToday in early March listed the property at 102 Corkery St., on which Trout Creek Senior Living is situated, as for sale due to unpaid property taxes. A municipality holds a tax sale to recover unpaid property taxes. It is common for properties sold in this manner to be purchased at prices far below market value as the municipalities seek to recoup taxes, interest and penalties owing plus the cost of conducting the tax sale. 

The tax sale jeopardized the homes of seven residents and the employment of 16. The Municipality of Powassan, under the authority of the provincial Municipal Act, 2001 began accepting tenders for the 11.3-acre Trout Creek property. According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the parcel of land containing Trout Creek Senior Living is $1,623,000 and its property taxes were $21,166 in 2023. 

The minimum tender amount to purchase the property was listed at $131,998, the property tax amount owed.

Michael Anobile, who identified himself in correspondence with BayToday as the owner of the Trout Creek Senior Living property confirmed the amount owed to the municipality for property taxes was paid in full before the April 4 deadline.

Powassan Mayor Peter McIsaac confirmed the payment had been received by the municipal treasurer. Asked for his take on the tax sale, he replied he was "just glad that it has been settled and we are moving forward."

Trout Creek Senior Living is located in the renovated former Lady Isabelle, closed in 2017 by the Ministry of Health. Unlike Lady Isabelle, Trout Creek Senior Living is not licensed as a long-term care home or retirement centre but offers independent options to live in a home-like setting with other seniors. 

Seven residents are presently living in the 49-bed home. Before being let go, the former management team struggled to successfully secure provincial licenses that would have led to operating a home with retirement or long-term levels of care while bolstering the bottom line. 

See: Trout Creek seniors' transitional housing seeking more residents

The ownership team agrees it must attract more residents to call the facility home. "While the current residency level is not ideal for sustainability, we are working very hard to maintain this independent living option for the community," said Anobile. "We recognize the importance of affordable housing options in the region."

Anobile preferred to keep the particulars of how the company, FAIM International, came so close to losing the property by falling behind on its property taxes private.

Since Lady Isabelle's closure, MPP Vic Fedeli has made efforts to restore a long-term care component to the area. A plan took shape to build a 96-bed long-term care facility on four acres of the Trout Creek Senior Living property. In a 2021 media event Italo Ferrari, representing developer FAIM International, alongside MPP Fedeli, Powassan Mayor Peter McIsaac, and North Bay Regional Health Centre CEO Paul Heinrich announced a state-of-the-art long-term care home in Trout Creek that would have a "huge impact."

Fedeli recently stressed the distinction between the existing seniors' home and the proposed 96-bed long-term care home.

"Trout Creek Senior Living has never received funding from the Ontario Government," Fedeli stated. "The Trout Creek Nursing Home is a different project and is still in the planning stages. Project-specific information is considered confidential between the operator and the Ministry."

According to Anobile, "The allocation for the 96-bed long-term care facility was granted by the Ministry, and we are currently working to finalize the logistics and construction details."

While Anobile speaks for the Trout Creek Senior Living property, Italo Ferrari and his nephew Gianluca also have interests in the operation.

See related: Notorious developer with local ties making headlines in the Soo

Developers Anobile and Ferrari have extensive commercial real estate portfolios and in recent years have branched out by acquiring properties suitable for long-term care facilities and addiction treatment centres. Ferrari got into some hot water in his dealings with the City of Sault Ste. Marie in recent years while representing interests in the former hospital property which has seen development plans stalled for years.

See also: Owners of former Sault general hospital ordered to board up building

And: Property developer Italo Ferrari target of multiple lawsuits

Anobile is listed as the sole owner of Berkshire Enterprises and the company is the owner of record and reportedly holds a 25-year lease for Canadore College's delayed Northern Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre of Excellence, located at 352 Lakeshore Dr., in North Bay. Ferrari's Westroy Assets Management Inc. also has interests in the property.

See also: Ontario announces $6.84M for 53 new local addictions treatment beds

And: VIDEO: Update on delayed local addiction treatment centre

The Canadore College program is leveraged heavily by a provincial government grant, as announced by Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo in 2022. Tibollo is also the MPP for Vaughan—Woodbridge, where the same address, 27 Roytec Rd. is listed as the home office for Trout Creek Senior Living and various Westroy and Berkshire holdings.

Asked about the reputation of his frequent business collaborator, Italo Ferrari, Anobile responded, "I do not agree with your assessment of Italo Ferrari’s character, professionalism, and track record. We have developed a positive and fruitful working relationship that has produced numerous successful projects and contributions to various communities."